Couples who plan to get hitched in 2022 will exchange vows in a refurbished building that is a marriage icon in Singapore.

The 36-year-old building in Canning Rise which houses the registries of civil and Muslim marriages is getting an interior makeover but will stay open throughout the refurbishing.

Work is likely to start by the middle of next year and could take about 12 to 18 months to complete.

About 150 students from Singapore University of Technology and Design, Temasek Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic will have a hand in redesigning the place as part of their school curriculum.

Announcing the plans yesterday, Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee said: "Saying ' I do' is the first of many memories that couples experience in their lives together, and a strong marriage is the foundation for happy and loving families."

"As the registries have borne witness to many generations of couples getting married, the collaboration with design school students is a wonderful opportunity for them, as potential future users of ROM (Registry of Marriages) and ROMM (Registry of Muslim Marriages), to shape this iconic building," he said.

One of the students taking part is Ms Siti Nur Diyana Wan Rosman, 22, a Year 3 School of Design and Environment student in Ngee Ann.

One possible change she cited was the queue number area at the entrance.

"It is very polyclinic-style now, in that you come in and take a number. Perhaps, it can be more lounge-style for couples to interact and share a bond," she said.

"This collaboration gives me a sense of belonging and ownership," she added.

The two registries were last renovated in 2010, creating one entrance for both. Previously, they had separate entrances.

The Registry of Marriages was set up in 1961 and that of Muslim marriages, in 1978. They have registered 1.3 million marriages since. Typically, 36 civil and four Muslim marriages are registered each day, said the Ministry of Social and Family Development.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 12, 2019, with the headline 'Marriage registry building to get interior makeover'. Print Edition | Subscribe

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